Hello thereEragon
by Guinevere137
Summary: One moment, Selena was screaming, and the next, so was he, as light, sound, and cold assaulted his tiny body for the first time. The women in the room all sighed, cooing happily at his appearance. He, of course, was the infant Selena had worked so hard to bring into the world.


"One more push, Selena, you can do it! Ready? One, two, three—"

One moment, Selena was screaming, and the next, so was he, as light, sound, and cold assaulted his tiny body for the first time. The women in the room all sighed, cooing happily at his appearance. _He, _of course, was the infant Selena had worked so hard to bring into the world.

Selena gasped in relief and let go of Marian's hand. She watched, dazed, as the babe was whisked around the room: cord cut, cleaned, and heart and breathing checked by Gertrude. He was passed to nearly every pair of arms in the room save one: his mother's.

Eventually, though, Selena sat up in the bed, her demands known before she could open her mouth, "Give her the babe, would you, Ismira?" Gertrude asked, and Ismira and Birgit looked up from their cooing over the child.

"Oh," Ismira whispered. "Right."

Elain chuckled, "You have a wee one, Ismira. Don't go getting baby-fever too quick, now."

"She's nearly two!" Ismira argued as she passed the infant over to Gertrude. Gertrude walked briskly over to the still-silent Selena, whose face lit up at the sight of her son.

"Well, hello there…Eragon," Selena whispered to the child. The baby's face was scrunched in the frustration of a child trying to figure out the…_newness…_of the world around him. He cried out again, and Selena rocked him instinctively.

"Where'd you learn such a heavy name, Selena?" Gertrude asked loudly. She finished cleaning herself up and sat down heavily in a rocking chair in the corner. She pulled out her knitting needles and immediately set to work.

"Oh…in my travels…" Selena hummed cryptically. It seemed that, even in her exhaustion, she guarded her tongue well.

Ismira frowned, "What is wrong with that name?" she asked. Selena combed her fingers lightly along the babe's head.

"Nothing," she said breezily, "Eragon was the first Dragon Rider."

"And it's an awful lot of expectation to put on a farm boy, Selena," Gertrude reminded her. Selena covered her baby as if he could hear understand her and looked up, affronted.

"It's no expectation at all! My only expectation for my boy is that he be loved! And loved he will be!" Gertrude pursed her lips but said nothing. "And anyway," Selena continued, "His father would approve."

Everyone in the room knew better than to ask about Baby Eragon's father, although they all wanted to. Selena rarely mentioned the man, and when she did it was in cryptic and unhelpful comments. She made no indication that he would join her in Carvahall, or that he was even alive. No man had followed her here, so everyone stopped waiting for one.

It was obvious, however, that Marian was dying to know the truth. That Ismira was bursting with questions. This much was clear, at least to Gertrude, who also wanted answers. Still, no one asked.

There was a small commotion behind the door, and suddenly, it was being pushed open. All eyes in the room turned from Selena to Roran, the door-opener, who toddled into the room with a happy cry of, "Ma!" The toddler threw himself at Marian's legs, and everyone laughed.

"Oh, oh, bring him up here, Marian," Selena pleaded, scooting over in the bed. Gently, she turned Eragon to face his cousin, who Marian soon deposited onto the mattress.

"Gentle—_Gentle, _Roran!" Marian commanded as the toddler rushed at his aunt. "See him—see him?" Marian turned her energetic son to look at Eragon. "That there's a _baby,_" She whispered in wonder. "And he's your cousin!"

Roran stared at Eragon. Eragon's face had smoothed out as he'd adjusted to the constant sensory overload, and he yawned at Roran. Roran stuck his fingers in Eragon's mouth, and his face screwed up as the baby's slobbery gums landed on his fingers.

"Ow!" Roran cried, tears welling in his eyes. Eragon, meanwhile, as already sobbing. The women of Carvahall laughed, while Selena rocked Eragon fruitfully.

"What if they don't get along?" Selena looked to Marian with tears in her own eyes. "Wh-what if? Oh, they just _must _get along! I do not think I could bare it if they—"

"They'll get along just fine," Marian assured Selena, laying on a hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder. "They'll be the best of friends. Brothers in all but blood."

"Yeah…"Selena gazed down at Eragon, "Brothers in all but blood."


End file.
